Hawthorne: Lakotadreamcatcher wins Whitworth Debutante as a 14-1 maiden

STICKNEY, Ill. - Lakotadreamcatcher, a four-race maiden who never had finished better than sixth, rallied from far behind the early leaders to capture the $106,375 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante for Illinois-bred 2-year-old fillies late Saturday afternoon at Hawthorne.

Dee Poulos, the widow of trainer Ernie Poulos, who campaigned Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Black Tie Affair, trained the winner, her first stakes victory since 2006, and only her third in 16 years as a trainer of record.

Lakotadreamcatcher, by first-crop sire Fort Prado, and bred and owned by Lakota Farm, was 30-1 on the morning line, but paid just $30.80 to win. Her 14-1 odds were reasonable, however: While Lakotadreamcatcher had failed to come close to winning, her three most recent starts had come in open maiden-special-weight races, and she had been an improved, mildly rallying sixth last out in her first dirt-route try. The Whitworth is not only restricted to Illinois-breds, but to horses that are kept eligible to the race through a series of nominating payments, and the race represented a class drop for Lakotadreamcatcher.

The filly also benefited from the fact that 4-5 favorite Sasy Ms Elizabeth, who pressed splits of 24.58, 48.92, and 1:14.42 over a slow-playing main-track unkind to early speed Saturday, is the foal of a pure sprinter, and was being stretched to two turns for the first time Saturday. Sasy Ms Elizabeth shrugged off her pace rivals before turning into the long Hawthorne homestretch, but she could not hold clear the sustained rally of Lakotadreamcatcher, who got a good, ground-saving ride from Tim Thornton. The winner was timed in 1:48.40 for 1 1/16 miles, while Sasy Ms Elizabeth finished well clear of third-place Tanqueray Miss.